A Splinter Of Moonlight
by eternallyd4zzled
Summary: "In every walk with nature one recieves far more than he seeks" - John Muir (Canon, Pre-Twilight)
1. The Hunt

**A Twilight Fanfiction**

**Emmett's Story**

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Please enjoy everyone. I've been a Twilight fan for ten years, but I've never had the courage to write my own fanfiction because I'm really choosy about Twifics lol. This one's entirely canon! I'm excited. Upload schedule will be bi-weekly, and I'm aiming for fifteen chapters.

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**Chapter 1: The Hunt**

_Gatlinburg, TN, Year 1935._

Dawn's light gleamed over the towering peaks of the Great Smoky Mountains and beckoned all diurnal creatures to wake. A lonely cottage, which sat on the foot of a bluff, was illuminated by the sunrise.

Stormy blue eyes fluttered open as the dark room was flushed with colors. A broad young man stretched upon his much-too-small-for-him bed and rose from his deep slumber. He ambled to his closet and the floor groaned in protest as he stepped. The groggy boy chose a thick flannel sweater that was appropriate for enduring the cold morning air.

The scent of breakfast cooking had enticed him to emerge from his room. A small middle-aged woman dressed in an old housecoat and slippers was leaning over the stove and stirring porridge. Eggs and turkey bacon sizzled in a steel frying pan.

"Goodmorning Emmett." His mother rasped. The corners of her lips were etched with age as she smiled at him.

"Morning, mom. Thanks a lot." Emmett grinned back at her as she scraped food onto his dish. He was grateful for his mother who always ensured that her children, although fully grown, were taken care of.

The small Irish woman perched beside her hulking son.

"Be careful today. The frost is beginning to stick and we don't need you catching a cold." His mother stared at him with a serious expression.

"Don't worry. Nothing can keep me down."

Emmett promised his fretful birth giver. The tall young man chuckled at his mother and engulfed his breakfast.

Regardless of the weather, Emmett would venture into the forest to supply his family with game. It was integral that he hunted enough to feed all six of his family members. One small animal a trip would not be enough to sustain them for the week.

A tiny female voice whined from another room.

"Why must you be so annoyingly loud? I'm trying to get my beauty sleep." A young girl around the age of fourteen emerged into view. She adorned a brown nightgown and her thin mousy hair tangled messily upon her shoulders.

She plopped into the wooden chair beside her brother.

"Don't talk to your brother like that! You have such a bad mouth. It is not ladylike." Their mother scolded her child, pointing a crooked finger in her daughter's direction.

The aging woman abandoned the kitchen table to arrange another plate.

"Beauty sleep? Hah! Your hair looks like a rat's nest." Emmett whispered to his sister in attempt to poke fun at the hot headed teenager.

The girl kicked his shin underneath the table with her bare foot. Emmett uttered a small laugh. As if that would hurt him!

He raised an eyebrow at his sister. It was a signal that he would surely get revenge at her later.

"I have to get going." Emmett told his family as he rose from the table. He grabbed his shiny rifle off of the stand and slung it over his muscular shoulders.

The aging Irish woman grinned with pride at him. Her eyes crinkled with delight. "Good luck son!"

Emmett's baby sister stuck her tongue out at him in farewell.

He trudged into the woods behind his home jovially.

The forest floor was strewn with fire-colored leaves and dying yellow grass. His leather boots crunched on the morning frost that coated nature's carpet. A soft November breeze ruffled the branches of the almost-bare trees.

Beyond the horizon was an endless row of mountains that were painted in Autumn's colors. The views always drew Emmett in further as the forest was his haven. He enjoyed the fresh air and natural world more than anything else.

First Emmett would check the traps that he had set days ago. He walked further up the path and scanned the underbrush for any sign of metal.

Sure enough, his confine had snared a fat white rabbit. Emmett removed the carcass from the rusted teeth of the trap and re baited the mechanism with hay. He packed the kill into a burlap bag and trekked ahead.

He knew of a meadow nearby in which herds frequently grazed. His goal was to provide his family with a large deer.

The ambitious hunter hiked deeper into the woods.

A clearing in the trees ahead revealed the large meadow he was searching for. The burly man crept closer to the field to scan it for any signs of life. To his pleasure, three average sized does munched on the stems of dead wildflowers.

One of the herd flicked its pointed ears and shifted its weight nervously. Its black eyes flitted around the trees in search of any sign of peril. It continued to feast when it assessed that there was no present danger.

Emmett gingerly stepped forward to ensure that he could shoot with precision. He proceeded to load the barrel of his gun with dexterity.

The anxious deer twitched its nostrils and it gaze was affixed on the surrounding forest. It was a feeble creature that lived in constant fear.

But it had sensed another presence among its herd.

With one careless move, a twig snapped underneath the teeth of Emmet's boot.

The three does ceased feeding and stared widely in his direction. Snorting in warning to one another, the herd bounded away frantically without a trace. Their puffy white tails disappeared into the shadows.

Shaking his head in disappointment, the woodsman leaned against a splayed tree trunk. Emmett cursed at himself for the foolish mistake.

He released a puff of negative air. The McCarty boy did not dwell on things beyond his control. And he also did not accept defeat. Emmett would shoot a few robins on the way back home to ascertain that his family would not go hungry.

Before he continued his hunt, Emmett settled on the ground to rest. The forest was serenely quiet. He laid his gun on a patch of spongy moss and reached into his knapsack. Its contained all the necessities he would need if he were stranded or lost. He pulled out an apple and laid against the rough bark of the split tree.

Rustling sounded from the peak of the trunk. Leaf litter and shards of wood fluttered down around him.

_Probably a squirrel_. He shrugged and continued to bite into the piece of fruit.

The rustling did not cease and only became louder and louder.

Emmett's head whirled around in shock and his jaw dropped in disbelief. Adrenaline immediately began pumping through his veins.

A black mass popped its gigantic head out of the broken hemlock. Its matted fur stuck out in all directions, and its lips were curled back in a snarl.

The twenty year old swiped his rifle off the ground and pointed it at the massive black bear. It had awakened from its hibernation. The beast's humongous body teetered on the branch. It balanced on its rear claws and readied itself to leap.

Emmett backed away slowly and cocked his gun in the direction of the bear.

When the brute catapulted away from its nest, Emmett shot at it from close range. The bullet grazed the bear's hind leg but did not deter the creature from its pursuit.

With no time to load his rifle, Emmett picked up the closest sharp object he could find. A jagged stone would do the trick. He pelted the rock at the bear's eye with all of his might.

The beast was taken-aback and bellowed in agony, shaking its snout in pain as its face spurted with blood.

He had a chance to sprint away.

The brute lumbered after him immediately and grabbed Emmett's left foot in its jaws. It dragged him back across the ground with incredible force.

The savage animal held Emmett down with its massive front paws. The two-hundred-and-fifty pound bear weighed on Emmett's body and cracked two of his ribs.

Screaming in writhing pain, the McCarty boy pounded on the black bear's underbelly. He fought back and kicked the animal with all the remaining strength he could muster.

Roaring furiously, the beast raked its claws across Emmett's chest. His clothes were stained scarlet red and in tatters. Blood streamed out of his wounds like a gushing waterfall.

Though Emmett was incredibly tough, the huge animal was relentless.

The bear's hot breath fanned in Emmet's face. Its purple lips and horrifying yellow teeth dripped with saliva. Its long tongue lolled around within its jaws. Its wild eyes stared menacingly at the human in its clutches.

It desired to kill him.

Emmett could feel himself losing consciousness and the forest around him became a blur.

His death was imminent.


	2. Last Breath

Authors Note: What did you think of the last chapter? Updated a little sooner because I couldn't wait to show you guys. x Review please!

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**Chapter** **2: Last Breath**

The black bear snarled deeply. It kept one giant paw atop Emmett's body to prohibit him from escape. It nosed through the boy's belongings as a strong scent wafted into its nostrils. Chuffing in triumph when it discovered what it was looking for, the beast tore through the hunter's burlap sack and gobbled down the rabbit carcass.

It licked its bloody jowls and continued to guard Emmett's body.

Another low growl resonated from about a hundred feet away. Emmett prayed to God that it wasn't another predator attempting to devour him. The presence of a wolf or bobcat would contribute to him suffering an even more tortuous death.

But it had sounded almost... _feminine_?

Emmett strained himself to open his dark blue eyes, mystified by the peculiar growl.

A strikingly beautiful young woman wearing a thin white dress was crouching upon the incline of the mountain. She was the most breathtaking human being he had ever seen. Her wavy blonde hair billowed in the wind and her skin dappled with a thousand tiny diamonds in the sunlight. She was the epitome of magnificence.

She was his guardian angel.

The bear roared and gnashed its crooked teeth upon her arrival. It eyed Emmett evilly as if in warning that he should stay put. It lifted its heavy paw from Emmett's body and proceeded to lunge at its new target.

The woman released an aggressive hiss and was poised to spring at the bear.

Emmett's hazy thoughts were spinning in disbelief. Blood was draining out of him at a rapid pace. Moving was impossible and his limbs felt like deadweights.

But his eyes were cemented on the gorgeous woman who vaulted herself at the dreadful creature.

The woman collided with the massive black bear. It stumbled backwards in bewilderment of the impact of her body. Though the animal was twice her size, her power was much more. Her prowess like a wildcat... She was much too quick for the bumbling beast. Gurgling in frustration, the beast swatted at her with its dagger claws.

When it realized that she was a threat, the bear attempted to scramble away. The creature attempted to climb up a dogwood tree in desperation.

Fear flashed in the beast's eyes.

The impossibly strong woman leaped onto the wild bear's back and tore it from the branch.

She wrapped her arms around its thick frame and suffocated it instantly. It did not have time to fight back. The savage brute's body fell dead at her feet.

He dazedly watched her crouch near the animals neck but could not decipher her actions.

And in seconds, she was face-to-face with him.

Her appearance was not marred in the slightest. Even after the fight, she was still perfect. The blood smears on her dress were from the animal's wounds. The horrible beast was not able to lay a claw on her.

Emmett's savior lifted his brawny physique without any struggle and carried him gently. Her pasty white arms were as cold as ice.

And then they were moving.

Trees whipped around the two of them in every direction. Emmett thought they were flying. He trusted that she would protect him. Even with blood pooling from his gashes, she invoked an overwhelming sense of calm in him.

His angel was taking him to Heaven.

Emmett could barely stay awake, but he could not stop himself from studying her immaculate face up close. She was the sole distraction from the immense pain he was experiencing. Her skin appeared as if it was carved from stone by a master sculptor; her complexion was very pale and without flaw. She had the most exquisite liquid golden irises that melted into his soul. He'd never seen eyes so comforting... They were like honey, drawing him into their depths. His dying heart held on a bit longer.

The woman gazed down into the dying man's eyes as she held him. Her face was contorted with great anguish and other indiscernible emotions.

Immense blood loss caused Emmett to black out in her grasp for the duration of the journey.

The nearly-dead twenty year old had regained a hazy consciousness when he was laid upon an antique wooden table. A piercing white spotlight shone into his sensitive pupils. Aside from the lamp, his surroundings were dark and bare. The room smelled strongly of must and the air was moist.

A few people whom he could not identify hovered over his still figure. Emmett prayed that his angel was still there.

Voices around him spoke with haste, most of their words were too abrupt for him to understand. One voice in particular was so captivating and so lovely that it stirred his fragile heart.

Only pieces of their conversation stuck out to him.

"...Mauled by a bear. He's dying! Carlisle, do something!"

A man with golden hair and brilliant eyes to match studied his unexpected patient. Similarities between the man's features and his savior's were uncanny. His amber gaze held a great deal of empathy and sorrow. Emmett trusted this stranger instinctually and wholeheartedly.

"There is nothing to be done except for what you already know, Rose. Is that what you want?"

"...I'm sorry, Carlisle."

"Don't apologize. I understand."

The dying hunter was convinced the man before him was God.

"I absolutely cannot waste anymore time here." Murmuring to himself fervently, the saintly man ascertained that his patient must be taken care of at once. His voice was gentle but to-the-point.

Emmett had no idea what the man was speaking about. The McCarty boy was too weak to ask. His vital organs were on the brink of shut down and it was incredibly painful for him to keep fighting.

Emmett was on the edge of the knife that was life and death.

"This will be over soon." The Godlike creature promised the boy below him and offered him a knowing glance.

Craning his head, the man bit into the suffering boy's neck. His sharp teeth pierced through the skin and clamped the jugular vein. Liquid seeped from the man's fangs into the patient's bloodstream.

Emmett's eyelids flew wide open. He howled in horror and writhed at the new pain that erupted in his body.

Fire.


	3. Purgatory

**Chapter 3: Purgatory**

Emmett McCarty's veins seared with the bubbling black acid that coursed through his bloodstream.

The pain was so immense that it consumed him. It was the worst form of torture. Much worse than the claws and teeth of the savage bear that ripped him apart hours before.

He screamed at the sensation of flames charring every sinew in his body. The unbearable heat swirled throughout his lungs and made it impossible to breathe. As much as Emmett flailed on the hard wooden table below him, he could not escape the slow burn that ate away at his last threads of life.

A long needle containing morphine was injected into his upper arm. A mere second of relief had doused the fire until again he was burning treacherously.

_Is this hell?_ Emmett asked himself over and over in his mind, wondering if the Devil took him. Wondering what he did to deserve such an atrocious death.

Soon he was unable to even scream. Emmett's constant yelling had made his throat dry and hoarse. His fingernails clutched desperately at the wooden boards below his fingertips as the fire cycled in and out of every vessel.

He refused to believe that the angelic creatures who brought him to safety would have ever harmed him. Especially when his angel came to hold his hand and gently brushed his hair from his forehead. Emmett would stare at her wonderful face amidst the endless suffering as it was the only sense of comfort he had.

Maybe this was Heaven's brutal initiation process.

His abdomen agonizingly compressed and Emmett's broken ribs had fused back together. The bone marrow was engulfed in the endless blaze and the boy writhed in agony.

It felt like forever that he laid and he burned. It did not cease. The inferno only intensified as the hours had progressed.

Release would not come.

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Three days had passed when the hellish liquid eventually flowed through his ventricles and invaded his heart. More of the acid trickled through the pumping muscle each time it stirred. Emmett wailed as tiny daggers seemed to prod in and out of his chest incessantly. His vital organ had solidified like stone and sharp crystals formed in the cavities of his core.

The pain had faded away as soon as his heart stopped beating.

Emmett's newly deep crimson irises snapped open in wonder.

He was no longer trapped within the musty walls of the basement or lying upon the hard table.

A full moon glowed through the window pane of the room and revealed an ornate setting. Emmett's vision was so crisp and clear that every minute dust particle floating in the air was visible to him. He sat atop a master bed with maroon curtains that draped elegantly over the finely carved wooden frame. A fire crackled nearby from a hearth, sending tiny sparks flying up into the darkness. The smoky scent of the room filled his nostrils, but so did the strong odor of pine and dirt that undoubtedly came from outside of the house. His heightened senses were sharp and he was alert.

But he was also completely bewildered.

Emmett realized that his throat was incredibly dry and had begun to burn _terribly_. He would have done anything to quell the fire.

Sipping from the purest waterfall on Earth would not even suffice... This thirst was unquenchable.

Two beings crouched near the door defensively. It was a female and male whose faces were shielded by darkness. Their golden orbs scrutinized his every move.

One of the pair spoke up first and walked into the light. The blond man who had bitten him approached the bed slowly.

"You are confused, of course. Allow me to explain." The man stood beside Emmett and had begun to express himself with a patient voice. "First and foremost, my name is Carlisle Cullen. The woman who saved you is Rosalie, my adopted daughter for all intents and purposes. What is your name?"

Emmett's guardian angel stepped into the moon's radiance and into his line of vision. Rosalie was even more spectacular than he remembered.

"Emmett McCarty. It's really great to meet you." His tone was thunderous and much clearer than he recalled.

"I'm sure you have noticed by now that you are no longer the same as... before, Emmett. There is a lot more that you will discover about this life I have given you. We wanted to provide you with a second chance from the brutal fate you were dealt. I hope you will forgive me. Our family will help you through everything as long as you are willing to comply to our way of life. But it is ultimately your choice."

Carlisle touched Emmett's shoulder and looked at him with a grave expression.

"You are a vampire."

Rosalie and Carlisle exchanged a glance. Uncomfort radiated off of them as they awaited his response.

"Hell's not so bad if you get to keep an angel with you." Emmett stated simply with a candid expression on his face.

Rosalie's citrine eyes were gloomy, however. The gorgeous vampire vacated the premise without speaking a word to him.

His mood darkened with disappointment.

"Well I am pleased that you are taking this so well. Come, Emmett. Meet the rest of our family. And don't worry, the burn you are experiencing will be gone soon enough." Carlisle ushered Emmett to follow him downstairs and ignored his daughter's elusiveness.

The two males descended a spiral staircase into a foyer. While Carlisle slowly walked into the room, Emmett had a difficult time controlling his speed. He was shocked that his legs took him so fast and almost knocked into a grandfather clock.

He and Carlisle shared a chuckle.

Emmett was in awe of the spacious house. It was incredibly elegant and the expensive decor hanging on its walls only added to its magnificence. He had never imagined in his wildest dreams a home so elaborate.

The burn in his gullet was becoming more and more uncomfortable by the second. He was dying to quench the blaze that traveled to the tip of his tongue. The dryness of his throat was worse than if he had just spend days wandering under a desert sun.

Another male and female vampire were waiting for them in the foyer.

To his displeasure, though, Rosalie was nowhere to be seen.

Carlisle pointed to the curious woman. "That is my wife and wonderful mate, Esme."

She had wavy dark brown hair and the same golden eyes as did the rest of the Cullens. Esme's pretty face was heart-shaped and she wore a welcoming smile. Emmett sensed that she was inherently good. Caring. A perfect match for the pure hearted Carlisle.

"It's so nice to meet you, Emmett. Let me know if there's anything you need." Esme hugged him immediately. Her tiny physique barely wrapped around his hulking body. The contact surprised him, but he enjoyed the hospitable gesture.

Carlisle and the boy were whispering very quickly to one another. Their words were unintelligible.

"Hello, I'm Edward Cullen." the boyish male introduced himself with a melancholy voice. He ran his fingers through his tousled bronze hair. "I'll be taking you hunting per Carlisle's request. Ready to go?" He queried Emmett.

"Ready and willing." The large vampire replied with determination. Although he wished his angel was by his side, the Cullen boy seemed like an interesting hunting companion.


	4. Bloodlust

**Chapter 4: Bloodlust**

Emmett was enthralled to finally be surrounded by the forest again. The sights and sounds of the woods flooded him as they exited the structure.

"Stay close by me no matter what." Edward warned his counterpart.

His enhanced sight picked up every detail of nature as they followed the trail. Black beetles and centipedes crawled in and out of the weathered bark of the towering trunks. Dew rolled down a blade of grass in the night's mist. Every grain of dirt and sand making up the earth ahead of them could be seen with Emmett's naked eye. He could almost enjoy it if it weren't for the aching flame in his throat.

When they were about a quarter mile away from the castle of a house, Edward stopped and perched upon a rock.

"Look, there are important things you need to know before we go any further. Our coven is strong because of the relationships we have with each other. Carlisle is like a father to me and he expects me to teach you the way of our family. I know he already explained that it is your choice on whether you stay or go, but we want to prepare you and give you options."

"I want to know everything." Emmett's words dripped with honesty.

"You are craving blood right now as I'm sure you already figured out. Especially because you are so new, it's going to be a huge focus of your existence. Our species main diet is humans... But our family survives solely on animal blood. We never hunt people. We resist the urge no matter how difficult. It is our family's number one rule. We value life instead of taking it away." Edward hopped off the stone and walked over to a puddle, staring at his reflection in the water.

The boyish vampire waved at Emmett to join him by the small pool.

Emmett gazed down at himself in the water as well. He was much larger in mass than Edward and at least six inches taller than his new acquaintance. His reflection bore the transition he underwent. He was sturdier and much more attractive. The purple undertones in his cheeks balanced well with his jet black hair. Emmett's musculature was intricately defined which made him brawnier than before. His skin now matched the Cullens.

But his eyes were stained a horrific ruby, nothing like the delightful honey colored irises the rest of them possessed. _I look like a monster_. Emmett stepped away from the puddle, feeling slightly horrified.

"They'll change in time if you practice our ways," Edward promised to him with sincerity and continued, "but you have to be careful at this stage. For another year at least we'll supervise you on hunts."

"How did you know what I was thinking?" Emmett raised an eyebrow perplexedly.

"I'm able to read minds. Some of us have special gifts. But anything we were skilled at in the past life carries over tenfold in this one." Edward explained to the hulking newborn beside him.

"You must've known I was planning on sticking around then. Besides, your lifestyle only seems right." Emmett offered seriously, trying his hardest to ignore the extreme dryness in his mouth.

"Yeah. I knew." The bronze haired vampire hinted with a crooked smile.

"But what should I tell my relatives when they ask what I am? Don't I have to lie—"

Edward cut Emmett off abruptly. "You can never go back to your real family. This life must be completely secret to humans. It's hard to comprehend at first but that is the price we pay. What if you slipped up and killed one of them? They must believe you are dead."

Emmett was slightly crestfallen but his bond felt stronger to Edward, a boy he had just met, than the McCarty's who raised him. It was just unfortunate that they would be losing a vital provider of the family. He wished he could help them out in someway.

"Carlisle and I will arrange some money for your humans. Now let's focus on your first hunt. Attune your senses further and allow yourself to listen to the forest... Your instincts will take over from there and I will follow you." Edward instructed, crouching nearby to observe the newborn.

Emmett listened for any sign of life in their proximity. Pine, leaves, and dirt were the strongest smells that entered his nose. But when he focused, he identified the scent of the flowing liquid he desired so badly. He could hear the wet pumping of the animal's heart. It was not far off. Venom rushed over his tongue and filled his mouth.

He bounded away from Edward straightaway and sped through the forest like a bullet. The wind around him whipped at his skin and face as he bolted through the brush with immeasurable speed. Nothing else mattered in that moment.

Blocking Emmett's course stood a looming boulder but he chose not evade it. The large vampire's body slammed into the stone and cracked the solid rock into tiny fragments when he struck it. It did not avert Emmett in the slightest and he continued to forge his way to the scent of blood.

A bull deer sensed a predator approaching and it stomped its hoof in alarm. The frantic animal had wildly leaped away in its attempt to flee but Emmett was already hot on its tail.

The large vampire sprung onto the stag's hindquarters and the creature immediately buckled under his weight. The taste of blood sent the newborn into a frenzy. Emmett bit into the deer's thick neck and started to drain the pitiful creature of its blood.

It was a decadent flavor that subsided the burn immediately. As the warm liquid traveled down his throat, Emmett's eyes rolled back in relief and pleasure. It finally soothed the unquenchable fire that would not cease.

When the deer was completely empty, Emmett regained normality. His gaze wandered to his tattered clothing which was ripped from the hunt and soaked in the animal's fluids. Emmett dropped the carcass and flicked his eyes around in search of Edward.

"I bet you feel better." The bronze-haired vampire landed in front of him and multicolored leaves flew up from the ground at his impact. Edward had been observing him from the treetops.

"Much." Emmett replied simply.

"Lets head back." Edward had begun to stalk in the direction of the house.

The pair ran in silence through the quiet midnight.

Emmett's thoughts now swirled about the breathtaking blonde woman that saved him. His mind was untainted by bloodlust and his focus was now solely on his angel. He wanted to know everything about her.

"Edward? Can I ask you something?" Emmett questioned the smaller vampire and halted in his tracks.

They were near the edge of the woods but still out of ear-shot of the mansion.

"You're wondering about Rosalie." Edward faced him with a serious expression.

"Yes."

The aloof female's distance pained Emmett for reasons he could not decipher.

"She's certainly an enigma. Rose is _extremely_ difficult to be involved with. The two of us clash so much that we dislike spending time together. But she's like a sister to me in that way... Sibling rivalry if you would." Edward explained and leaned against a tree trunk.

"But Emmett, Rosalie had a difficult human life that I'm sure she will share with you one day. It made her very vain. She's untrusting. She's stubborn. It would take me a millennia to understand her and I'd never _want_ to. Either way, there is a reason she brought you to Carlisle."

Emmett drowned in Edward's words.

"What the hell do I say to her? I really don't want to do the wrong thing." The brawny newborn pleaded to the bronze-haired boy in front of him.

"What kind of hopeless romantic do you think I am?" Edward rolled his brooding eyes dramatically and shook his head. His expression was stormy as he gazed into the direction of the Cullen residence.

"Rose may seem impossible but just prove to her that you're different. Even this hunting trip was a test... to see where your loyalties would lie. But don't tell her I told you any of this or she'll murder me!" Edward chuckled darkly and then punched Emmett in the shoulder. "I'm going to throw up though if my little brother keeps asking me about women."

"Who you calling little?" Emmett growled in a playful manner and shoved Edward into a tree. The bark splintered as the boyish vampire crashed into it with incredible force.

"Wow, you're strong! Newborn or not. _Ow_." Edward rubbed his stony shoulder and flitted across the field.

Emmett followed suit, the two men laughing hysterically as they bursted the doors of the mansion.


	5. Acclimation

**Chapter 5: Acclimation**

Carlisle's fingertips flicked quickly through a dusty book as the two boys entered the house.

"I'm assuming everything went well?" The blond vampire arose from his chair and studied the two with a calculating glance. Carlisle was wearing a knee-length smock and around his neck was a silver stethoscope.

"Yes, Emmett is staying with us." Edward announced to his adoptive father.

Carlisle stood from his chair and laid his unobstructed hand on Emmett's stony shoulder. "This way of life will free your conscience. I promise. We're so glad to have you as a part of our family."

The fatherly vampire's aged novel was still agape in his other palm.

Emmett quickly scanned the minute text of the book after thanking Carlisle. Its paragraphs contained scientific terms and medicinal diagrams he could not comprehend.

"Come on, I'll take you to your room." The bronze-haired Edward interrupted and had begun to ascend the winding staircase.

"He's a doctor?" The gigantic newborn inquired with awe as they walked side-by-side to the second floor.

"Yeah. Carlisle has been studying medicine since the sixteenth century. We're all envious of his amount of self control." Edward replied as they emerged into a long hallway.

The large vampire's jaw dropped in shock. "What? How long have you been alive then?"

"I was born in nineteen-oh-one. We don't age physically after we're changed."

"That's unbelievable!" Emmett's voice was thunderous and laden with disbelief.

The pair walked down the seemingly endless corridor where a row of entryways faced each other in a parallel line. The two males approached a closed wooden door.

Edward twisted the elaborate crystal doorknob leading to the room. "Here it is. Esme laid out some clothes for you. And another thing... You won't feel tired because we never sleep." He laughed sullenly and then disappeared.

_No sleep? _Nothing could really stir Emmett anymore; especially after discovering his immortality... it hadn't sunk in yet.

It was Emmett's first time being alone since his transformation.

His crimson eyes flickered around the spacious area. It was rather plain compared to the rest of the mansion. The only furniture in the room was a leather sofa and a bookcase stacked to the brim with encyclopedias and Shakespeare. Authentic renaissance paintings were mounted on the otherwise bare walls which Emmett guessed were worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.

He sorted through the pile of garments that Esme arranged for him. To his surprise, the clothes were all very much to his taste. Emmett quickly changed out of his ragged threads and into a gray thermal which hugged his muscular form. He pulled on a thick pair of denim jeans that were a bit baggy on him, and slid on padded leather boots.

Emmett's previous family would have never been able to indulge in such expensive clothes. It was an otherworldly feeling to have such material items that he was not used to having. He considered the McCarty's fondly for a moment and hoped he would be able to deliver something for them soon.

The black-haired male sat on the sofa and listened the noises of the house. He was unoccupied in his thoughts and wished that he could go to sleep. As Edward had promised though, the tiredness would not succumb him. All of the sounds floating around the air were maximized in the quiet. He was as still as a rock but his senses were still in tune with his surroundings.

Rosalie was nearby.

All of her slight movements were audible to his sensitive ears. Emmett was frozen. Her attractive scent wafted through the walls, tempting him to be near her.

The large newborn desired to be in the proximity of the captivating blonde female.

It took nearly ten minutes for the young vampire to muster up the will to stand. Emmett vacated his dwelling and slowly walked down the hallway. Every unsure step closer to her wracked his nerves. His normal confidence was broken by the angel-woman who completely captured his being.

Rosalie's ajar door emitted a slice of light that cut through the darkness. He knocked on the drywall and poked his head in her room.

Emmett's ruby gaze soaked in her beauty once again.

She was sitting cross-legged on a colossal white bed and sketching in a book. The silky red dress she wore clung desirably around her curvy physique and revealed plateaus of bare skin.

A candle's flame had created a faint glow of light around her body that immersed Emmett in her utter magnificence.

Rosalie's intoxicating fragrance was like cinnamon and vanilla which reminded him of a viburnum flower in bloom.

The breathtaking vampire had ignored his presence for a moment.

"Can I talk to you?" Emmett queried and broke the silence. His voice was tender and careful.

Rosalie snapped her head up from the drawing and threw the paper beside her.

"Why?"

Her single phrase was dangerously sharp and struck Emmett like a dagger. The blond female was not interested in engaging any conversation.

The elusive vampire did not look back when quickly she quickly leaped out of her open window.

He sighed and watched her sprint into the forest, his red eyes glinted with sadness as they followed her disappearing figure into the towering trees.

_Why would she fight off a damn bear for me if she hates my guts? Or comfort me when I was in the worst pain of my existence only to ignore me later?_

Emmett gloomily mulled over why Rosalie had even bothered to save his life. The gorgeous vampire had only acted cutting and aloof towards the newborn since the moment he'd woken up from hell.

But yet he still wanted her so desperately.

The black haired vampire sulked over to the giant bed she had been sitting on. Her heady perfume remained so prevalent in the room and swirled around Emmett's scent glands. It was almost as appealing as the blood he'd devoured earlier.

Upon the comforter was the sketch book in which Rosalie had abandoned. He picked up the drawing with his large hands and scanned the impressive charcoal doodle. Scribbled on the paper was a portrait of a rather adorable child with a curly head of hair and missing front teeth.

His bewildered thoughts about the sketch were interrupted by a tiny hand that squeezed his forearm.

"It wasn't so perfectly smooth for Carlisle and I either. It took us awhile to realize how silly we were acting. You two are just figuring out your feelings."

Esme's soft voice sounded from behind him with words that dripped with intuition. The motherly woman's golden eyes held a knowledge that was vastly different from Carlisle's.

"Go after her." The short female mused. Esme sat on the bed next to Emmett and pointed towards the gaping window.

"There's no way she wants me to." Emmett hung his head. His normal happy-go-lucky nature was dampened by the repeated rejection of his angel.

"Trust me. She's my daughter, Emmett. She wants you to." Esme promised the hulking newborn and patted his back in reassurance.

Her words were incredulous to him.

Emmett leaned on the sill of the window pane after Esme had left him alone. The black sky had begun to lighten as a streak of dawn colored the night.

The young vampire's mind was torn by Esme's suggestion, unable to believe that Rosalie could have possibly wanted him to chase her.

Yet the newborn bounded out of the window after his angel without another thought. Emmett's dead heart had willed him to try again with the beautiful vampire... And he would keep trying. A McCarty boy would never give up.


End file.
